Fire! 2014

Posted on February 6, 2015 by Nanette Harter

The following is based on a true story… There was no news about the fires or road closures at the Bonaparte Lake campground Friday morning (July 18) when we woke so we decided to drive on to the ranger station in Okanogan to get the latest news. The news didn’t sound good at all about getting through to the coast. We were driving Hwy 20 and were told the pass was closed between Okanogan and Winthrop; the road a little farther south, Hwy 2, was closed at Leavenworth to the coast; and even farther south on I90, there was a section closed due to a 25 semi pile up! The ranger was trying to be helpful about proposing alternate routes while he was also monitoring the fire radio: he proposed back the way we came and then over small roads to get past the pile up to I90 (we didn’t want to go that far south if we could avoid it.) He said there “might” be a way down and up to Hwy 20. He had heard there was pilot car leading cars south on Hwy 97 from Okanogan. We decided to try it because it was the most direct way either to get back to Hwy 20 or else if we needed to continue down to I90.

We headed south toward the smoke. There were fires on the hills to our west side. We stopped with the other traffic and Neil got out to take pictures while standing in ash on the road brim. There was fire equipment and firefighters still sitting on the side of the road near smouldering vegetation. The pilot car arrived and led us through the smoke which was very thick in parts. We could see power poles, highway signs, and orchards all burned. We continued to Pateros where Hwy 153 turns off back to the north toward Hwy 20.

As I turned at the intersection to head west on 153 there were two sheriffs at the stop sign who had just come from that direction. I rolled down my window and asked if we could get through? He just stared at me (or through me) a moment and then said “be careful.” He looked like he was in shell shock and may not have realized what he was saying but that was all the permission I needed. Neil noticed about 100 fire fighting vehicles and mobs of firefighters congregating just south of the intersection, ready for deployment to the hotspots further south.

Starting a mile or two west from the intersection we drove by burned areas and saw fire on the hills; then we drove by where fire was right at the road and the firefighters were fighting it. We saw exhausted men and women and tens of fire trucks spread out along the road wherever pockets of fire remained. The sad thing was seeing homes completely gone except for the chimney and steps while houses nearby were untouched. Those untouched had green grass around them and the fire didn’t pass the open area. One house went up in flames off the road as we drove by.

We connected with Hwy 20 at the town of Twisp. Power was out everywhere and we saw long lines of parked cars at all the gas stations, which were closed. Many people had been stranded for days. One Mom & Pop general store was the only place pumping gas. It was over a mile off the main highway and we were lucky to find it (good intuition). They must have had a generator. They also had a guard at the door allowing only one person in for each person who exited. I did see small amounts of food still on the shelves. There was no cell phone service throughout the whole region (hundreds of square miles) because the cell towers had burned or had no power. We had stopped to pick up info on the road ahead but soon found the info we had was extremely valuable. We were the first to bring news from the east. While I waited in the queue for much-needed gas (at almost double the normal price) people in front of the store crowded around Neil and pressed him for information. The store owners wrote down a summary on a big blackboard for later people to read.

We drove on to Winthop and decided to stop at the Ranger Station to give our news. It was good we did because they were also dealing with lack of power and phones. They had little battery powered radios to talk to their trucks but couldn’t get any useful info from far away. Fire coordination was their main focus but they were trying to answer people’s questions. We saw people who had just lost their homes, people who had been evacuated and had nowhere to go, and stranded travelers in desperate circumstances, some camped on the lawn. They were all shocked when they heard we had made it through. They had all thought the highway was closed (maybe it was supposed to be?) When they heard we had come through from Pateros the ranger came around from behind the desk and one came from the back room to grill us with more questions. Neil, with his previous experience in creating maps for emergency management, had them pull out their big map and was able to clearly point out on their maps the details we observed. They were all so starved for meaningful information, especially the rangers, that our decision to stop there turned out to be a huge blessing to many people.

Carlton Complex Fire was the name given this wildfire. Neil researched and found links which provide

Four lighting strikes sparked fires on July 14, 2014, near Carlton, Twisp, and Winthrop which merged to become the largest recorded wildfire in Washington state history (the previous record was 1902.) The most intense burn days were July 17 (light and dark green) and 18 (yellow) fueled by high temperatures and strong northwest winds (we drove Hwy 153 on July 18!) The fire was not declared 100 percent contained until 41 days later.

“[The fire] burned 256,108 acres, destroyed 353 homes, and caused an estimated $98 million in damage. The fire caused no direct fatalities or serious injuries, although one homeowner died of a heart attack while protecting his home. … When July 19 arrived, a total of 760 firefighters were battling the Carlton Complex blaze, along with at least 15 helicopters and two planes. … In the end, the Carlton Complex fire was, in the words of The Wenatchee World, “a catastrophe beyond measure … too great for an ordinary detached person to grasp” (“The Long Struggle”).” HistoryLink.org

We left the fire and smoke behind driving west now seeing incredible views as we neared North Cascades National Park. We arrived just in time to get one of the very last available camp spots in the large campground. We had made it! What an experience!

Photo Credit: Neil Rhoads

Photo Slider: Neil has worked hard editing the pictures for you to enjoy in the posts. He has also had fun making header photos for the top rotating slider. This post has a unique slider with pictures from this adventure only. I hope you click into the webpage so you can see the slider in action.

Photo gallery below:
Clicking on any photo thumbnail brings up the full size photo with a description. To easily see them all, use the arrow buttons or keys to move through the full size gallery photos with descriptions. If you are receiving this in an email and don’t see a photo gallery below, please click into my webpage to view all the photos!

North Eastern Washington 2014

Posted on January 29, 2015 by Nanette Harter

Thursday morning (July 17) at Bull River campground we continued to enjoy sunny but somewhat hazy skies as we finished our breakfast and packed up the car. Our plan was to drive through the Idaho Panhandle and on through Okanogan National Forest to the North Cascade National Park all in one day if we could. We knew it would be a long drive day. We called Helene to say we were planning to get to Seattle earlier than previously planned. She warned us about all the forest fires and road closures. That was the first we had heard of them! Those thunderclouds we photographed on our Missoula Blue Mountain Monday evening walk had brought dry lighting to Washington and Oregon and started numerous forest fires. Now we knew that the haze we had been seeing in the air the last few days was forest fire smoke blowing into Idaho and Montana!

Idaho Panhandle

Since we wouldn’t make it through to the North Cascades, we decided to see how far we could get westward and find a place to camp. We followed the Clark Fork River on Hwy 200 crossing into Idaho and driving along the north shore of Lake Pend Oreille then connecting with Hwy 2 at Sandpoint on the lake. It is evident this is a recreation and resort area with little motels and boat parking dotting the highway. We enjoyed the scenic views along the drive but no place jumped out to stop for photography; especially since the sweeping vistas out across the lake were hazy. I found a photo online that reminded me of the views we were seeing. Lake Pend Oreille is glacially carved and is Idaho’s largest and deepest lake. Researching it, I found the lake is the probable location of the ice dam causing the formation of Glacial Lake Missoula we mentioned in the National Bison Range post.

“During the most recent episode of major ice-sheet expansion, between about 18,000 and 13,000 years ago, a lobe of the Cordilleran ice sheet advanced into the Idaho Panhandle to the area that is now occupied by Lake Pend Oreille, thus blocking the Clark Fork River drainage and causing Glacial Lake Missoula to form.” About the Ice Age Floods.

The image of the Ice Age Floods map on the above web page reflects the theoretical extent of the most recent ice sheet coverage of North America. Zooming in on the map image, I was able to see the towns of Libby and Sandpoint labeled near the top right side which gave me a reference to where we had driven over what might have been the glacial ice dam.

Entering Washington

We entered Washing ton state as we crossed the Pend Oreille River into the town of Newport and checked out the Colville National Forest’s Newport Ranger Station for suggestions of hikes and campgrounds. The brochure about Day Hikes in Eastern Washington had an insert describing Waterfall Strolls. That definitely needed some investigation! The ranger didn’t have news about the fires; he just knew that both Hwy 2 and 20 were closed at the moment. We branched onto Hwy 20 to stay north and continue west since Hwy 2 turned south out of Newport.

Mailea has been all through the Washington/Idaho area collecting tree insects for research and one of the places she mentioned as a stop was Colville! We found a huge Safeway to restock our supplies and friendly people. Neil asked for a lunch recommendation, and when he mentioned possibly Mexican food, the cashier raved about a little place a few blocks away. We tried two different Mexican restaurants while traveling in Eastern Washington and we can tell you that what passes there for Mexican food is nothing like we are used to in California or Hawaii! At one restaurant, Neil tried to politely ask the Hispanic owner if this was the same food the staff ate in the back (his bland Chili Verde was the toughest meat we had ever tasted. Neil said it was like chewing straw and he literally gagged a few times while trying to swallow it.) The owner just got huffy and grabbed Neil’s plate off the table. He said had never had a complaint about the dish in the 12 years he had been in business. I’m glad the locals keeping him in business have tough jaws. We didn’t have Mexican food again until we got to California.

Waterfalls

The Waterfall Strolls were all in the Colville vicinity. Crystal Falls is right on Hwy 20 but there was no signage to identify it. We would have missed it if we didn’t know where to look for the gravel parking area. Crystal Falls gets its name from how it looks in the wintertime. The Pend Oreille River drops straight down a rocky face and there are good viewpoints right near the road. Of course Neil had to climb out to the top of the rock directly overlooking the falls and I was able to snap a photo.

We drove a little north out of Colville to find Douglas Falls. What we found was the falls were within a state park including a campground. The falls overlook is in the day use area allowing an elevated view of falls.

The information sign gave the history: ”Douglas Falls Grange Park: The 120 acre park site was purchased in 1938 by Stevens County Pomona Grange #17 and maintained thereafter by its members for the public’s pleasure. Changing times made the upkeep of the park a problem for the organizations. So in 1975 a deed to the property was presented to the State of Washington Department of Natural Resources for development and maintenance as a public park. The 60 foot waterfall on Mill Creek was named for R.H. Douglas who harnessed it in 1855 for a grist mill. Later converted to a sawmill. Failing to negotiate a lumber contract with the U.S. Army at nearby Fort Colville, he turned his talents to the production of distilled spirits.”

The last waterfall we searched out was Meyers Falls which took us through neighborhoods in Kettle Falls. It was a disappointment when we finally found it because the access to the main falls viewing is blocked by the current powerhouse owner. There are informational signs and the history is well documented however we were only able to view a small falls upstream from Meyers Falls.

“On the Colville River immediately south of the City of Kettle Falls (which in turn was named after a now submerged and extinct falls), Meyers Falls is a series of cascades about 133 feet in total height. In the spring the cascades join to become a single, wide, 133 foot waterfall. Over the years a grist mill, a sawmill, a brick factory and a hydroelectric project have been built above and below the falls.

In 1826 a gristmill was built by the Hudson’s Bay Company on the river above the falls and continued in use until after the first generating station was built. In the intervening years a sawmill capable of producing 20,000 board feet of lumber per day was also built at this site. Interestingly, this early use of the Colville River makes it the oldest source of water power in continual use west of the Mississippi River.“ Waymarking Meyers Falls

Five Lakes Area

Chief Moses, Chief Tonasket, Chief Sar-sarp-kin

We decided to stay at Bonaparte Lake Campground (elevation 3500 feet) near Tonasket, actually in the Okanogan National Forest. Okanogan is a Salish Indian word meaning “rendezvous.” Originally this region was home to 12 tribes who moved through it according to season. In 1846 the US government ignored the rights of the indigenous people, seized the land from them, established reservations, decades later took the north half of the reservation back from the Indians, opened it to settlers and prospectors eager to exploit it, and eventually put the bulk of the land under management of the Forest Service. The area is rich with old ghost towns, many in good condition. Sadly, we didn’t have time to explore them.

We found a nice camping spot right on the lake shore in the magnificent Okanogan Highlands. There was even firewood provided, however, the hostess stopped by to say the ranger had just come around saying no campfires till further notice, sigh; we would miss an evening campfire. With unplanned daylight left, we set off to explore a couple of the lakes close by. The drive took us up and down around the forested hills and even along a rather steep ravine. Each of the lakes had a National Forest campground with plenty of open camp spaces. Beaver Lake and Beth Lake were small lakes with boat launch access. Each lake had a different look in the afternoon light. Lost Lake was the highest lake we explored. We enjoyed watching a large young adult group equipped with canoes having great fun camping right on the lake. An alluring sign caught our attention as we neared Lost Lake that needed more investigation: “Big Tree Trail Head”. We parked at the trailhead as we retraced our tracks from Lost Lake. The mile nature trail loop we walked ended at two giant ancient trees.

Sign on the trail: “The two old western larch below, also called tamarack, are over 900 years old. They were not harvested with the rest of the trees in 1963. In 100 the trees in this area were thinned to remove those with insects and disease damage. The remaining trees now have more crown space. Some they may reach the size of the two big larch below.”

I am finding it hard to put in words the feeling of being in the presence of these majestic trees. It is one of both wisdom and love. Neil communed with them for some time. He experienced an altered perspective on the forest – one where years sped by like days. For these ancient ‘standing people’ the lifespan of a human is a mere flicker compared to the scope of their cares and concerns. It was very humbling.

We woke to the sounds of nature Friday morning. The air was full of bird songs and chattering squirrels as the sunlight just reached the water itself and the hill full of pine trees reflected in the water! We sat at the water’s edge to watch and listen to the serenade before breakfast and breaking camp.

Photo Credit: Neil Rhoads and www.tourfactory.com for Lake Pend Oreille and ghosttownsusa for Okanagan Chiefs

Kootenai National Forest 2014

Posted on January 22, 2015 by Nanette Harter

After our hike to Little North Fork Falls and a refreshing dip in Big Creek, we set out on a brilliant Wednesday morning. We drove south along the west side of Lake Koocanusa looking down the steep sides of the lake before reaching the overlook of Libby Dam at midday.

Lake Koocanusa and Libby Dam

Libby Dam was completed in 1972 and stands 422 feet tall. It created a 90 mile long narrow lake stretching between the United States and Canada. It was a joint project between the two countries to provide flood protection from the Kootenai River spring fluctuation and to generate hydroelectric power. Lake Koocanusa received its name in a contest to name the Libby Dam reservoir. Alice Beers, from Rexford, Montana, combined the first three letters from KOOtenai River, and the first three letters of CANada and USA. They offer public tours of the dam but we just enjoyed the overlook view before continuing.

Our plan was to drive Highway 2, the very northern US route, to the Pacific. The highway traverses multiple National Forests and Parks including Kootenai National Forest. Kootenai encompasses the northwest corner of Montana where we spent two nights on our trip. We checked with the local experts at the Libby Ranger Stations for suggestions of sights to see and hike. The ranger said not to miss the Ross Creek Cedars, a hidden gem. We also asked about Kootenai Falls and she said “You can miss it. There are lots of cars and an ice cream stand.”

Kootenai Falls and Swinging Bridge

It was just as the ranger described it: lots of cars (and RVs) and a concession stand in a large parking lot with informational signs for Kootenai Falls. We walked a level foot path from the parking area next to the highway and then descend a dirt trail down the hill to double railroad tracks. A special enclosed pedestrian bridge has been built over the tracks with high stairs to climb and descend to the river side. We took the left fork of the trail which winds along the river and down to the swinging bridge. After enjoying the view of the falls and the swaying feel of the bridge with the water racing below us, we retraced our steps and took the right fork along the river to rock cliffs immediately overlooking the falls. We could feel the power of the falls just standing on the rumbling rocks with the mist swirling around.

“The calm [Kootenai] river suddenly gathers momentum surging first through China Rapids and then over Kootenai Falls, dropping 90 feet in less than a mile. The main falls is 30 feet high and can be viewed from a “swinging bridge” that crosses the river. … The falls area is a sacred site to the Kootenai Indians who once called this area home. This was a place where tribal members communed with spiritual forces.” LibbyMT.com Kootenai Falls

Kootenai Falls – Then and Now

On our 2007 North American Adventure we found Kootenai Falls almost by accident. As we drove Highway 2, Neil was studying the terrain out the window and he suspected a dramatic elevation change was nearby when he spotted a sign for Kootenai Falls and large parking lot with just a few cars. It was a good place to stretch our legs so we stopped to investigate. What a find! It was October 1, 2007 and the water flow was low enough in the channel that we were able to walk on the rocks down near the falls. We were able to see that at some time in the past the water flow must have been many times higher. You can read our description of our first experience with Kootenai Falls at Day 11 of our North American Adventure. We pulled a few photos from back then so you can see the comparison.

Our recent falls excursion was July 16, 2014 and the water was roaring down the falls filling the channel from bank to bank! On our first visit we scrambled down the bank and out onto rocks that were now completely submerged under raging currents. It’s hard to tell from photos but being out in the middle of a giant riverbed during low flow was somehow more profoundly impressive than just seeing it in full flow from above. Below where you see the kayaker in the water is some of the sandy river bottom we walked on years ago. Just imagine what it’s like for that kayaker!

On the other hand one of the things that makes a summer visit better is the berries are in season. From out on the swinging bridge Neil saw a couple of people grazing some bushes. Some of you may know Neil loves to eat exotic things when he travels so naturally he went over to them and struck up a conversation. They were German tourists who recognized the berries as Juneberries and they offered to share some with him. Yum! Neil ate quite a few.

I couldn’t resist getting some ice cream as reward for accomplishing the hike and I shared some with a shaggy friend at the table with me. This is only fair since Neil ate his Juneberries.

Ross Creek Cedars

We are very grateful for the ranger’s recommendation! We would have completely missed this little magical place. Ross Creek Cedars is an amazing ecosystem of preserved old growth cedar trees. It is a mile long loop nature trail with informative signs of the history and ecology of the many plant and animal species native to the cedar grove.

“The Kootenai National Forest established the Ross Creek Cedars in 1960, as a scenic area protecting it for scientific and recreational value. The 100 acre park is home to a grove of 500 year old ancient western red cedars. Some of these trees grow up to 12 feet in diameter and 175 feet in height. The grove is also home to various large specimens of other western trees and the many lush ferns and flowers that blanket the shady forest floor.” Exploring Montana: Ross Creek Cedars

We only took a few photos because we were enjoying the magic of the location. The two website links above about the Ross Creek Cedars have a variety of photos if you want additional views of the trees.

We camped nearby just off of Hwy 200 in a campground on the Bull River. The river had such a silty bottom that it wasn’t inviting to me for an evening swim. The campground was crowded but we had the convenience of a picnic table for cooking dinner and breakfast. There are tradeoffs in all things. 🙂

Photo Credit: Neil Rhoads

Photo Slider: Neil has worked hard editing the pictures for you to enjoy in the posts. He has also been having fun making header photos for the top rotating slider. This post has a unique slider with pictures from this adventure only. I hope you click into the webpage so you can see the slider in action.

On the Road Again 2014

Posted on January 12, 2015 by Nanette Harter

After our great week with Ari and Eric, it was time to hit the road again; this time for the full camping experience. We planned to meander north and west, eventually getting to Seattle before heading down the west coast through the redwoods.

Monday when Eric headed back to work, Ari worked to organize and store all the wedding and reception supplies that had been quickly boxed for the trip from the ranch. Our time was spent doing laundry, packing, and reorganizing the car. We had temporarily cleared out our car and stored all our gear in the garage to make room for passengers during the wedding festivities. During our travels, the back seat was usually piled high with sleeping bags, two thermal mattresses (partially deflated), pillows, travel chairs, and the tent. On the floor in the back we carried 12 gallons of drinking water that we would refill at grocery stores. We were glad to have the extra water while camping.

Off we drove Tuesday, July15, north on Highway 93 to Kootenai National Forest and stopped at the Rexford Eureka Ranger’s Station. The ranger was extremely helpful offering recommendations of camping and hiking options including a waterfall hike – always high on our list. We drove along the scenic steep cliffs of Lake Koocanusa, a 90 mile long lake that straddles the USA/Canadian border. Lake Koocanusa is named for the Kootenai River, Canada, and the USA. We crossed to the west side of the long narrow lake on the only bridge over the US half of the lake. Once we reached the turn off for the waterfall hike, we drove a mile slowly along a dirt road. Here we found not only the trail head but also an amazing camp site by a clear bubbling stream with a great stone fire ring and dry wood. We enjoyed a fire both in the evening and the following morning. This is the first time we used our new camping stove and the camping chairs that mom packed for us. What a luxury to have warm seating and hot tea water. We loved the spot and the sound of the running stream all night.

In the morning, we prepared for a 6 miles round trip hike to Little North Fork Falls. Turns out the falls are only 1/2 mile back from the road on a well maintained nature trail! Along the trail were small interpretive signs describing the flora and geology. As we got farther back the trail, we began seeing a large amount of leaning and fallen trees. The splintered trees distracted from the beauty of the scenic location and we wondered why they were not cleared out near the trail. As we were asking the question, we came upon a set of interpretive signs that explained Course Woody Debris.

In a healthy temperate forest up to 30% of the woody biomass will consist of dead wood. The dead trees provide both food and habitat for many species of bacteria, fungi, lichens, mosses, small plants, which in turn support a rich diversity of species. Had we poked around we would have seen a wide variety of beetles, larvae, ants, and termites. Woody debris in the stream slows down the flow and creates small sediment-filled pools were we could have seen snails, salamanders, frogs, and aquatic insects. Several species of bird are dependent on dead trees for nesting sites. Scientists estimate that up to 40% of all forest fauna is dependent on woody debris.

We had mistakenly believed that the ash remaining from intermittent forest fires was sufficient to provide the carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium needed for regrowth of a healthy forest. This is not the case. The woody debris itself is not particularly rich in nitrogen. But, during slow decomposition, the woody debris acts as host to free-living nitrogen-fixing bacteria which are essential to maintain healthy biodiversity in the ecosystem. Well, that and bear poop. Neil pointed out that the fallen trees attract bears who tear them open to get to the beetles and larvae and then deposit their nitrogen-rich fertilizer in the area. Do not underestimate the importance of bear poop.

Crossing a bridge, we found ourselves at the base of an impressive waterfall coursing among jutting rocks from a dramatic height. Well worth the excursion! The forest service map showed the trail continuing on beyond the top of the falls but all we could see were layers of fallen logs. Neil started off to trail blaze while I waited at the top of the falls but he soon returned as it was very tough going (as I expected) and there seemed little to make it worth the effort. We returned to the campsite, took a refreshing, brrrrracing—read that as cold—swim in a swimming hole, packed our gear and headed on the road again. If we had known what was coming, we might have stayed a few more days by that delightful bubbling stream!

Photo Credit: Neil Rhoads and Nanette Harter

Photo Slider: A new addition to the website is the photo slider banner. For some posts such as this one, we have made a unique slider with pictures from this adventure only. If you are reading this in email be sure to check out the webpage so you can see the slider in action.

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National Bison Range 2014

Posted on January 5, 2015 by Nanette Harter

When Ari suggested a drive to the National Bison Range, I didn’t know what to expect. I had no idea there was such a treasure so close to Missoula. We were able to not only view a large herd of bison in their natural habitat but a wide variety of wildlife such as mule and white-tailed deer, pronghorn antelope and bighorn sheep as we took a late afternoon drive through the reserve.

“Tucked away in the southern portion of the Flathead Valley in Northwest Montana, the National Bison Range is a wonderful place to see beautiful scenery, large herds of grazing buffalo, elk, antelope and other prairie wildlife.

The National Bison Range was established in 1908 and is one of the oldest wildlife refuges in the United States. It was created to serve as a refuge for the Bison, also known as a Buffalo. The refuge is relatively large, standing at 18,500 acres.

The Bison Range consists of a wide variety of habitats. The primary habitat in the range consists of rolling prairie. Large hills and small mountains form the heart of the range, with prairie being the dominant feature, even on the taller hills. But, in some areas of the refuge, pine forests are tucked away on more moist slopes. Additionally, along the lower boundaries of the range, several streams create areas of small wetlands.” Quoting from BigSkyFishing.com

Beyond the visitor’s center at the entrance there are two one-way gravel loop roads and a short two-lane road for wildlife viewing throughout the reserve. The longer 19-mile loop, called Red Sleep Mountain Drive, traverses the reserve’s variety of habitats climbing 2000 feet before descending back along Mission Creek. It took us a couple of hours to complete the drive allowing for photo stops and walking the two short trails that are the only designated walking trails accessible from the roads. From the car we had impressive vistas of the bison herd and we also safely viewed some up-close individuals. It was wonderful to see them living freely in a large protected reserve.

Conservation

The National Bison Range official history outlines that the Range was established in 1908 when President Theodore Roosevelt signed legislation authorizing funds to purchase suitable land for the conservation of bison and that it was the first time Congress appropriated tax dollars to buy land specifically to conserve wildlife. The history page avoids mentioning that bison conservation was required because of previous Federal government actions.“Bison were nearly extinct by 1890, having been part of a Federal government sponsored program of eradication during the Indian Wars, thereby removing a vital food source from the Plains Indians diet, and ensuring easier relocation onto Indian reservations.” Source: Wikipedia.org

Animal Bridges

Happily, wildlife conservation efforts continue in modern day Montana and were evident when Neil and I drove Highway 93 to Columbia Falls. We went underneath an animal bridge built across the highway allowing animals to cross the highway safely! We also noticed several tunnels built under the roadway to provide additional safe crossing points. Paying more attention, we saw unusually high fencing along the sides of the highway to deter the animals from trying to cross at the highway level, instead directing them into the safe tunnels and the bridge. Not only that, but we saw ‘jump outs’ designed to give a safe exit point for any animals that somehow made it onto the roadway. We were impressed and looked for the animal bridge each time we drove through the Flathead Indian Reservation on Highway 93, (the highway is also known as The People’s Way.) Researching it further, we found there are 41 animal crossings in a 56 mile stretch of roadway between Evaro and Polson; 40 of them being underground tunnel crossings! It is an impressive project begun in the 1990’s and completed 6 years ago. Motion detection cameras were installed in the overpass and tunnel crossings to record the animals’ activities. One camera caught images of a doe who laid down in the middle of the tunnel while she let her two fauns play from end to end. Similar behavior has been observed in Banff and elsewhere and there has been some speculation that the adults are teaching the younger generation where the safe crossings are. Researchers noted that when the herd matriarch was unwittingly culled along with other adults from a herd in Canada the remaining herd seemed to forget where the crossings were and usage declined dramatically.
An extensive research project is nearing completion about the wildlife crossings that is studying the use patterns and the statistical analysis of the reductions in auto collisions. The numbers indicate that the net savings in lives and property are much greater than the extra engineering costs. It’s a win-win for people and animals. Just as the Montana Evaro Hill animal bridge designers went to Banff National Park to study their animal bridge, now international researchers are coming to Montana to study the wildlife crossings on The People’s Way. Soon there will be many more safe crossings all around the world.

Geology

We began our ascent on the northwest side of Red Sleep Mountain. The drive offered views of the large herds of bison grazing the grassy hills with the Flathead River at the bottom of the valley and the Flathead Indian Reservation beyond. Constantly on the lookout for wildlife, we wound up and around small watering holes and meadows skirting the forested summit before we reached the highest elevation of the road. After a short walk and a rest stop, we began our descent down the east side of the mountain. Spread out before us was the Mission Valley, backed majestically by the Mission Mountains. Further east (out of view) on the other side of the Mission Mountains is Swan Valley and Holland Lake. (If you read my Holland Lake post you may remember seeing the Mission Mountains on the western horizon as seen from the lake.) It was an impressive sight as the sun was sinking in the western sky to view the expansive valley and town of St. Ignatius below us. At one of our stops, an information sign explained that at one time much of what we were seeing had once been underwater and the old beach lines are still evident on north-facing slopes.

If we had been gazing out from our vantage point on Red Sleep Mountain about 12,000 years ago, we would have been standing on a little island in a huge 2,000 foot deep lake. The Ice Age Floods Institute tells about the catastrophic floods that roared across Idaho, Oregon, and Washington when the ice dam broke. Here’s a bit more about the lake:

The Short Story
About 12,000 years ago, the valleys of western Montana lay beneath a lake nearly 2,000 feet deep. Glacial Lake Missoula formed as the Cordilleran Ice Sheet dammed the Clark Fork River just as it entered Idaho. The rising water behind the glacial dam weakened it until water burst through in a catastrophic flood that raced across Idaho, Oregon, and Washington toward the Pacific Ocean. Thundering waves and chunks of ice tore away soils and mountainsides, deposited giant ripple marks, created the scablands of eastern Washington and carved the Columbia River Gorge. Over the course of centuries, Glacial Lake Missoula filled and emptied in repeated cycles, leaving its story embedded in the land.

Flood Facts:

The ice dam was over 2000 feet tall.

Glacial Lake Missoula was as big as Lakes Erie and Ontario combined.

The flood waters ran with the force equal to 60 Amazon Rivers.

Car-sized boulders embedded in ice floated some 500 miles; they can still be seen today!

Source: Glacial Lake Missoula

The Prairie and the Road Home

We saw the majority of wildlife as we descended back down to the prairie grasslands near Mission Creek. In the rocky areas we saw bighorn sheep resting and eating. The deer and the antelope were out feeding (okay, okay, they were roaming) in the cool sunset temperatures and solo bison were resting very near the road. There were only a few other cars driving through the reserve along with us so it was very easy to stop on the one lane road to view and take photographs. Being that close to the bison, really gave me a feel the size and power of the animals. I can’t imagine being near a thundering herd!

As we exited the reserve, it was now time to feed ourselves. We couldn’t stomach stopping at the café right outside the reserve that had a big sign advertising bison meat! Yes, we did read that the reserve bison herd is maintained at about 350 to prevent overgrazing. Therefore, each year 50-95 surplus bison are rounded up. The bison are first transferred to other conservation areas, including Native American and public herds, and the rest sold to private individuals — meaning some can become bison burgers. It is part of nature but I didn’t want to eat bison after just seeing the magnificent beasts. We instead drove to St. Ignatius and enjoyed a meal at an authentic Montana bar/café, the 44 Bar & Outwest Grill, right off of Highway 93. We drove back to Missoula on The People’s Way (Hwy 93) over and under the animal bridges. Who knows what other animals than us were moving through the night!

Note from Neil: You may have noticed that this post and the previous one on Holland Lake include some history and background info. What do you think of these posts? Do you like the extra info or would you prefer shorter posts? Please give Nan your feedback. Thanks!

Photo credits: Eric Shultz and Neil Rhoads, except the Animal Bridge photos from the cited sites.